Improved curtain-fixture



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS S. PUTNAM, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

Specification forming part of `Letters Patent No. 36,366, dated September 2, 1862.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that T, SILAs S. PUTNAM, of Dorchester, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newv and useful Improvement in'Cui-tain Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, making part of this specication, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a window and curtain with my fixture applied; Fig. 2, a section through the operating parts of the fiX ture; Fig. 3, a section on the linea,l :v of Fig. 2.

Curtain-fixtures have been made in which a ratchet-Wheel running loosely upon the pivot of the curtan-rod was so controlled by the friction of a spring and by a detent that when the curtain was drawn down by hand the ratchet-wheel was held stationary by the detent and the pivot was caused to revolve within it, and when the curtain was raised by means of the elevating-cord the ratchet Wheel re volved with the curtain-rod and its pivot. In this arrangement the spring and other operating parts were exposed to view and they also occupied space on the end of the rod which it is desirable to economize.

In my improved fixture the spring which produces the controlling friction .is entirely concealed from view and occupies no space in the length of the curtainrod. There is no ratchet-wheel separate and distinct from the pivot and revolving upon it; neither is this pivot secured to the curtainrod, but revolves freely within it p l To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

The curtain A is hung to the Window-frame B by means ofthe brackets C. The curtain-rod D is bored out at one end to receive the spring g, by the pressure of which the controlling friction is produced. The pivot f is formed with a shoulder, i, by which means when the cap H is secured to the rod it is held in place.

m is a block of wood, which intervenes between the spring and the pivot, the pressure of the spring being sufficiently great to hold the curtain n any position, the necessary fric tion being produced between the' shoulder i and the cap H. Near to its outer end the pivot is cut away, so as tofforrn two faces or teeth, n n, with which engages the pawl k, so that when the curtain is raised by the cord L running upon the spool H the pivot revolves freely with the curtain-rod; but when the curtain-rod is revolved iu the opposite direction in the act of drawing down the curtain the pivot is held from turning by the pawl k, and t-hedescent ofthe curtain is controlled by the friction of the spring upon the end of the pivot.

Any number of faces n (one or three or even more) may be used, or a tooth attached to a collet may be employed. In every case, however, the tooth which engages with the pawl k is secured firmly to the pivot and revolves with it.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to -secure by Letters Patent, is

The loose pivotf, held in place upon the curtainrod by means of the angefi and cap H and controlled in its motions by the coucealed springg and pawl la, the pawl engaging directly with the pivot or with a tooth attached thereto, substantially as set forth.

SILAS S. PUTNAM.

Witnesses:

SAM. COOPER, P. E. TEsoHEMAcHEE. 

